On Tuesday, 16 April 2019, Dr. Alan Cusack participated in a roundtable event on the role of courtroom intermediaries hosted by the National Disability Authority in Dublin.

The event, which was attended by senior officials within An Garda Síochána, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution, the Bar Council of Ireland, the Courts Service, the Mental Health Commission and the Irish judiciary, explored the role of courtroom intermediaries for victims of crime, witnesses and defendants in the criminal justice system in Ireland. The aim of the event was to consider, in particular, the scope that exists for introducing a formlaised, registered intermediary scheme in this jurisdiction

The keynote speaker at the event was Veronica Holland, Head of Victims and Witnesses Branch and Violence Against the Person Branch, Department of Justice (Northern Ireland) who led a presentation on ‘The Experience of Registered Intermediaries in Northern Ireland’.

Dr. Cusack spoke to the experience of admitting registered intermediaries in England and Wales and the logisitical, as well as financial implications, associated with introducing a registered intermediary scheme in Ireland.

A report of the discussion is expected to be published by the National Disability Authority shortly.